The Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame today announced the selection of ten prominent Rhode Islanders for membership in the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame — consisting of illustrious Rhode Islanders from Roger Williams and the chief sachems of the Narragansett and the Wampanoag tribes to the present — was created in 1965 to honor “any individual who has brought credit to Rhode Island, brought Rhode Island into prominence, and contributed to the history and heritage of the state,” according to Board President and 1995 inductee Dr. Patrick Conley.

The Hall of Fame, which currently has no physical location, is working on plans to build a structure resembling the Roman Pantheon on Metacom Avenue in Bristol. Inductees must have been born in Rhode Island, lived, studied, or worked in Rhode Island for a significant time, or made his or her reputation in the state.

The class of 2017 includes:  

• Richard L. Bready — Prominent businessman and philanthropist, retired chairman and CEO of Nortek, Inc., and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Roger Williams University.
• Alfred L. Carpionato — Rhode Island major real estate developer, philanthropist, and president of the Carpionato Group, one of the largest independently-owned and operated property development companies in the Northeast.
• Bartlett S. Dunbar — Noted sailor and naval officer, president and founder of Bowen’s Wharf Company, revitalizer of the Newport waterfront, and prime mover of the construction of the sail training vessel Oliver Hazard Perry.
• Robert, Wini and Warren Galkin — Businesspeople and manufacturers, leaders of the West Warwick-based Natco, an international company with factories in China, Canada and three U.S. states, major benefactors of numerous local charities and educational organizations via the Galkin Foundation.
• Joseph R. Paolino Jr. — former mayor of Providence (1984-91), U.S. Ambassador to Malta (1994-96), prominent figure in national Democratic Party circles, a major real estate developer, and civic leader.
• Dr. Arun K. Singh — Nationally renowned cardiologist and heart surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital, having performed more than 18,000 open heart surgeries; prolific author of medical papers on heart disease; and humanitarian.
• William Michael Vareika — Noted Newport art dealer and collector, specializing in 18th and 19th century American art, historian, acclaimed historical preservationist, philanthropist, and civic leader.  
• Arthur N. Votolato — Rhode Island’s longest-serving United States Bankruptcy Court Judge, whose distinguished tenure extended from 1968 through 2012. He also held the position of Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Bankruptcy Panel.

This year’s annual induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 6, at The Inn at the Crossings (Crowne Plaza) in Warwick. A 5 p.m. social hour will be followed by a 6 p.m. dinner, entertainment and the induction ceremony.

The donation to the Heritage Hall of Fame for the dinner event is $85. Tickets can be ordered by calling 401-556-6174 or by emailing somravanh@gmail.com. Tickets must be purchased in advance by May 1.